urbanSTL

It looks like the buildings on Bohemian Hill that were threatened by Phase II are safe for now. Though the blight designation has not been rescinded, Chris Goodson said publicly that it was no longer economically feasible to acquire the homes. Also, the LCRA sent letters to the property owners saying that they had decided not to go ahead with the acquisitions. Three things. The article about Jim Roos quoted "the [Bohemian Hill] developer" as saying that eminent domain was not part of the thought process. Then Goodson said that it was no longer economically feasible for HIS COMPANY to acquire the properties. Wha??? The LCRA was the one acquiring the properties, not Gilded Age. If eminent domain was not part of the thought process, why was the LCRA and blight involved? Even if ED wasn't an issue, it looks like Goodson and Young were pulling strings with LCRA so the property could be acquired with city money (and the option of Eminent Domain), and then handed over to Gilded Age. You judge. THe other thing is that until the blight designation is rescinded, the question of demolitions and ED could start back up at any time. And of course, the whole thing still looks like a strip mall. Anyway, some good news.

I hope that the continuing development of Lafayette Square will result in infill for the "Phase II" area. I think we can all agree that that area needs some development. If in 5 years there are still many vacant lots and several boarded up houses I will wish that something had been done to push development. Does anyone here think that Jim will work to add infill or maintain properties to a higher level?

I think that rising property values will take care of infill and maintenance.

TGE-ATW wrote:I think that rising property values will take care of infill and maintenance.

How exactly? How will the people who own those decrepid buildings fix them up because property values areound them are rising? The only way would be for them to sell them to people with money to revelop them, and with the fight they put up to keep them from Gilded Age why would they do that? Hopefully they won't continue to sit like they do, pulling down the property value of those around them.

They fought because they didn't want to have their homes taken (at less than market value [I know what is supposed to be done, but....]) and be screwed out of the benefits of owning property in such a valuable and appreciating area. As prices continue to rise, those who are just sitting on property (a minority) will probably sell for a good price to someone who wants to rehab and make the place nice. The other people, who already care about their properties will continue to do what they are doing...happily living there and keeping their places nice. Once blight is removed, the few vacant properties will become viable rehab properties and be bought quickly. You have to remember that these homes have been blighted for many years. A blight designation kills any incentive to keep the properties up or invest in them because they could be taken and bulldozed by the city at any time. If blight is removed, the rising tide of Soulard/LF Square property values will ensure a bright future for the buildings. At this point, it is Phyllis Young and her Blight that is keeping some of the properties looking sub-par. If she would rescind, I am confident that they would be fixed very quickly.

TGE-ATW wrote:The LCRA was the one acquiring the properties, not Gilded Age. If eminent domain was not part of the thought process, why was the LCRA and blight involved? Even if ED wasn't an issue, it looks like Goodson and Young were pulling strings with LCRA so the property could be acquired with city money (and the option of Eminent Domain), and then handed over to Gilded Age. You judge. THe other thing is that until the blight designation is rescinded, the question of demolitions and ED could start back up at any time. And of course, the whole thing still looks like a strip mall. Anyway, some good news.

In a case like this, the developer would still pay all the costs of condemnation per a funding/redevelopment agreement with the LCRA. Up until last year, the city could have approved an urban redevelopment corporation to condemn directly. Now the city or the LCRA are the ones to condemn, albeit in name only.

There are several homes on Bohemian Hill that were either just renovated, in the process of being renovated, or about to be renovated. One completely renovated home even sold about a month before the whole ED issue was brought up. After being completely renovated one day they just boarded up the large front window facing Tucker. How long has the 'blight' label been applied to these homes? If it was long before the ED issue it wasn't preventing renovators from coming in. I heard from contractors working on one of them that developers had wanted to buy the whole block but some landlords, who aren't keeping up their buildings, refused to sell. Kind of a downer if you ask me. I understand people should be able to keep their homes, but shouldn't they be held accountable to being good neighbors and not letting their property drag down the surrounding area? There is certainly no action being taken to improve the block now, hopefully that will change.

Residents: the ball is in your hands. The owner of the house on the corner of 12th and Soulard should be hunted down immediately.



What other actions will be taken to reign in absentee landlords and slumlords? Will the owners of the blight be taken into housing court now? What can be done to continue organizing a solid neighborhood association that will work diligently to clean up and beautify the area?



I think members of SRG will help with anything you need to develop a stable real estate market.

According to Geo St. Louis



The house at the corner of Soulard and 12th street, 1729 South Tucker, is



APOLLO INVESTMENTS INC

Address: 9440 MIDLAND

ST LOUIS, MO 63114



Another house with problems is the one on the corner of essentially 13th and Lafayette, 1710 S. 13th street. The owner is



PRICE, RUSSELL D

Address: 5820 CABANNE AV 2N

ST LOUIS, MO 63112



Reference

According to public records, Apollo Investments is:

Alan Sheehy

9032 Spyglass Place, O'Fallon, MO 63368



Rick Bennett

6 Hickory Glen Court

Lake St. Louis, MO 63367



Their principal place of business is 9440 Midland-1FE, St. Louis, MO 63114



In March 2007, these owners has 34 code violations.



2002 - sold for $49K

2004 - sold in October for $39K

Condemned to be demolished in November 2004

Then, two building permits were issued in 2005 for $35K in masonry repairs (huh?).

September 2005 - sold for $85K

February 2007 - foreclosed for a sale value of $120K.



If someone has access to a real estate transaction database, you could see whom the parties were in each transaction. My guess is that they all probably "know" each other.



Only the property owners who are neighbors to this mess can get the ball rolling to take this property through legal means.

What about the abandoned homes between Soulard and 44? Do we have records on the owners of those properties?



I wish the property owners would take as much action to get these problem proerties taken care of as they did to stave off Eminent Domain. I think part of the problem may be that the owners are landlords and don't have to live next to these problem properties on a daily basis. Funny how they claim neighborhood pride and take action to keep their sources of income, but when it comes to actually improving the neighborhood they are absent.

No one in the 636 area code should be allowed to own property in the city.

^ Imperfect solution. I live in Chesterfield and still have a 314.

SO WHAT? bonwich? If you're not a slumlord you shouldn't care.

No one in the 636 area code should be allowed to own property in the city.

(It's a hornet's nest)

Buried in the recent Biz Journal article about Schnuck's opening Downtown:

Gilded Age plans to break ground on a new Walgreens across the street from its Georgian condominiums this August. The City Market will open in summer or fall of 2008, Goodson said.

Not dead. They just decided not to go through with the acquisitions and demolitions between 13th and 12th (Though they could be revived at any time until the blight is rescinded and some kind of preservatio review is enacted for the area). The Phase I, store etc, is still a go. And it is as Stip-mally as ever.

Any progress on resident-lead efforts to improve the area?



I noticed the highly attractive painting on the side of one building is still up.

Matt wrote:Any progress on resident-lead efforts to improve the area?



I noticed the highly attractive painting on the side of one building is still up.

Landlord-lead efforts to keep their cash cows were successful. The residents weren't kicked out so they're done complaining. Unless something changes it looks like we'll get a grocery store next to some boarded up houses.

^ Ouch. Sometimes the truth hurts.